A glossary of Gulf Arabic words

The Arabian oryx has nothing to do with the glossary or the addendum to it, but I felt it would be a nice idea to include at least one photo of it on this site as it is such a beautiful animal. Its proper name is al maha or, less commonly, al wadhihi and it once roamed the Arabian peninsula. Hunting and urbanisation killed it off in the region but now most of the states have zoos which include specimens. Incidentally, the name al wadhihi relates to the animal’s beautiful eyes.

The glossary set out below was intended to be a vocabulary related mainly to building development in the Gulf. There are, however, a number of words which come into general discussions when dealing with the planning, design and building process, and which are added for interest, if not clarity. Please be aware that there may well be errors and omissions.

You should also be aware that the glossary is set out in Roman alphabetic order. This is different from the way in which an Arabic dictionary or glossary is set out: they are organised with respect to the root word, usually the third person singular of the past tense. Hence kataba is the root verb meaning ‘he wrote’ (something), under which maktab, meaning ‘office’ or ‘desk’, kaatib, meaning clerk or scribe, and maktoub, meaning ‘letter’, would be found.

There are few resources on the Internet but the Qatar government has published a planning glossary that some might find useful. It can be accessed from the References page. It is aimed at a more modern audience than is this glossary. I also recommend the glossary found at the back of An Outline of Islamic Architecture for its vocabulary of classic Islamic architectural elements. Usefully, it also has a list of the sources used in compiling it. However, bear in mind that the vocabulary is not really related to Gulf Arabic.

The reader should understand that there is constant dissent about the meanings of translations in general and, here, there is likely to be more as I am using both Gulf terms as well as Arabic words from elsewhere in the Arab world.

Moreover there are differences between the way a word may be written in Arabic and the way it is pronounced. For instance, feriq is often pronounced colloquially, fereej, and the hard gebel of Egyptian Arabic is written as jabal and pronounced in Qatar more like jebel.

I should repeat here that the glossary below is set out differently from that of an Arabic dictionary. Not only is the order based on the Roman alphabet, but the initial letters relate to the way in which the Arabic word is heard, this often being different from the actual Arabic letter. For instance the letters ‘c’, ‘e’ and ‘o’ do not exist in Arabic, yet I have shown words beginning with them, as that is how they sound to me.

In addition I am aware that there are other inconsistencies. The main one is in my using ‘ee’ and ‘i’ interchangeably depending, in the main, on how I have heard them spoken.

The main purpose of the glossary is to enable you to learn the meaning of a word spoken in Arabic, but bear in mind that this is mixture of different kinds of Arabic, ranging from the vernacular to forms brought in by Arabs from other countries.

One final note is that there is, as you might anticipate, considerable differences in pronunciation within the Arab world. The main one to be aware of is that Egyptian Arabic pronounces the soft Gulf Arabic ‘j’ as a hard ‘g’.

Arabic	English
A
’abbaasid	relating to ’Abbaas ibn ’Abd al-Muttalib, a paternal uncle of Muhammad, and representing a political dynasty, founded in 750, based in Baghdad and lasting around two hundred years. It was the third of four Islamic caliphates, supplanting the Umayyad caliphate – see fatimid and umayyad
’abd	slave
’abreeq	jug
’adhaab al-miyaa’	desalination
’alam	flag
a’ailah	a children’s game played with stones and a double row of holes, usually scratched in the ground
a’amoud	column
a’oud	incense used to perfume, particularly, in the majlis
abaya – pl. abayaat	black cloak worn by women
’abra bi al majdaaf	a small traditional craft used for light porterage across the creek in Dubai
abyadh	white
’ada – pl. ’adat	a habit, or something carried out habitually
adab	good manners, courtesy, politeness or the proper approach to carrying out a task
adhaan	the call to prayers, usually made through a loud speaker attached to the minaret of a mosque
’adl	justice
’adliya	Civil court
ahmar	red
’ain	the twelfth letter of the Arabic alphabet, containing a glottal stop
akeed	definitely
akhbar	news
akhdar	green
alair	on
alaas’aafaat alaawlya	first aid
alaadhaa’a	lighting
alaaslaahaat	repairs
alatool	straight ahead – coll.
aldhukuwr	male
al faas	an axe or axehead
alif	the first letter of the Arabic alphabet
al ikhwan as-safa’	the Brotherhood of Purity
alinaath	female
al khatt al mansub	a classic calligraphic style designed by the calligrapher Abu Ali ibn Muqlah
al haadhr	the present
al madhi	the past
al mustaqbil	the future
alhambra	an Islamic development in Andalucian Spain that came to an end with the Christian reconquista in 1492, and is a very commonly perceived Western model of Islamic design
amaan	safety
amil	system of pearling where a naakhuda is financed by a taajir
amir	prince
amira	princess, or a woman’s head scarf, similar to a hijab, but used with an underscarf
’amm	public
’amn	security
’amuwd	the poles used to hold up a black tent
’angar	a light anchor with four or six prongs, typically used by pearling ships
’aqd – pl. ’uquwd	contract
’areedth	wide
’arish	palm fronds or stalks and the buildings constructed with pitched roofs of palm fronds. The word is derived from the plural of the Arabic word for feathers – see al-rish
ardha	traditionally a dance performed before warfare, accompanied by two facing groups chanting to each other while moving slowly with guns and swords to the accompaniment of drummers – see razeef which is a version
ardth	earth or land
arnab	desert hare
as’aaf	ambulance
’asabiyyah	social solidarity, kinship, loyalty or cohesion
a’sal	honey
asfar	yellow
ashiddah	camel tack, the general word for the equipment and harnesses of a camel
askar	military
’asiil	tribes considered to be noble
askari	soldier – see also jundi
’asr	prayer in the mid-afternoon
assass	foundations or footings, also has the meaning of the basis
alustrlaab	astrolabe, a scientific instrument used in astronomy, surveying, way-finding, prayer timing and astrology
aswad	black
ataba	the threshold of a door
’atar	perfume
atiq	old
atnab	the guy ropes on traditional tents, usually made of hemp
awamid	columns
awasij	the plant, Lycium shawii
’ayaala	the Emirati name for the razeef
aayah – pl. aayaat	the verses that make up a surah of the Quran
’ayn – pl. ’ayyuwn	eye
’ayyin	small defensive holes in the wall of buildings through which firearms could be sighted
azal	diver who goes out in the boat of a naakhuda, but is independent
azba	permit for a non-residential temporary animal stock camp – see mazarah
B
ba’ath	meaning, literally, re-birth, and the name of a political nationalistic, secular party established in Syria
baarid	cold
baazur	wrought iron, dome-headed nails used in the construction of heavy doors, face-fixed from the outside of the door through horizontal ledges and turned over to fix them
bab – pl. abwaab	door
bab khalfi or bab al-waraani	a minor, secondary or service door to a property, often giving onto a sikka, relative’s property or private grazing area
badawi – pl. badu	commonly, bedouin, meaning people who live in the desert
badgheer	natural ventilation system – from the Persian
ba’eed	far or far away
bahr – pl. bihaar or buhuwr	sea – note that the name, Bahrein, means ‘two seas’ and comes from the belief that the island and the surrounding salt water floated on a bed of sweet water – the Persian/Arabian Gulf – it being possible to find sweet water both under the land and the sea – see also buhuwr below
baharnah	Arabs believed to be the first settlers of the Qatar peninsula, and of shi’ite origin – see also hawwalah
bakhnaq	a short head covering worn by unmarried females
bakra	hoist used over a well
balaat	tiles or paving
balad – pl. bilaad	town or country
baladiya	municipality, also the common term for the municipality building
balam nasaari	a trading vessel also used for fishing and pearling and around forty or fifty feet long
baluchi	a person of Baluchistan, a geographical area within south-east Iran and west Pakistan
baniya tahatiya	infrastructure
bannaa – pl. bayaan	land or country
baraha	a majlis, or sitting area, outside the house and its compound
barash	palm thatched dwelling
barasti	construction of palm fronds but, more commonly nowadays, temporary housing constructed of flattened out oil drums
bareed	post office
barnaamaj – pl. baraamij	programme or schedule
barq	lightning
barr	desert, land or country
barra	outside
barzan	a free-standing watchtower
bas	enough!
basjeel	a woven cane mat usually employed in the construction of suspended floors or roofs
bateel – pl. bataateel	a type of local sailing craft, traditionally used for both fishing and fighting
bateel selek	a small version of the above craft
batin	the inner aspect of self or a thing
batula – pl. bataateel	the mask worn by Gulf Arab women to preserve their privacy
bawabat al hawwa	wooden shutters used to close off the circulation of wind towers
bawara	a heavy sea anchor, suited to sandy sea beds
bay’ah	an obligation upon, as well as a right for, every Muslim, man or woman; an oath of allegiance under Islam
bayaasira	a pejorative term for those who do not belong to a qabila, as well as a group established in the Oman whose origins are not known
bayt – pl. byoot	house
bayt khiaas	canvas tent, literally, a house of canvas
bayt sha’bi	a Public house, given by right to any Qatari that needs housing
bayt sha’r	traditional Bedu tent, literally, a house of hair
bazaar	a suq or shopping area
beeb – pl. beebaat	pipe
bijanb	beside or next to
bilaad	country
bid’a	not having roots in traditional understanding or sunnah
bideda	extended families
bidoon or biduwn	without – also a term given to those without nationality – see hadhar
bidiy	water trough
bihaaraat	spices
bin	son (of)
bint	daughter (of)
il bint il wald amha	the girl is to go to her first cousin in marriage
bina’a – pl. binaaya or mabaani	building
bi’r – pl. alabaar	well
biqaala – pl. albiqaala	grocery
bi’rkat	cistern
bisht	loose robe worn by men, usually black or brown with embroidered gold trimming, heavier in winter. Sometimes known as a mishlah
bismillah	collective word describing the religious exhortation, bismillah al-rahman al-rahim – In the name of Allah, the most Compassionate, the most Merciful
bitaath	hinge
biyaa’	itinerant salesman
boom – pl. abwaam	large wooden, traditional boat with raking stem and stern, usually with a single, forward-raked mast
booma	owl – a symbol of bad luck
bratha	a small sand deposit – see also ramla
buhuwr	seas – with the meaning of the metres of poetry
bukhur	generic word for incense
bukra	tomorrow – bad bukra – the day after tomrrow
bunkah	fan, usually centrally located in the ceiling
burj – pl. abraaj	tower
burj al hawwa	wind tower
burj al muraaqiba	watchtower
burj as-sa’a	clock tower
burka – pl. barak	water tank
burq’a	the hood used to calm a hawk, an enveloping dress commonly worn by women in Afghanistan, and an alternative name for a batula
burtuqal	orange – fruit and colour
busa – pl. busat	inch – measurement
bustaan – pl. basaatin	garden
buwny	brown
buwradaai – baraadi	curtain
buwraah	irregular, strong wind, common in May
C
caravanserai	a combined lodging for travelling merchants and their pack animals as well as a temporary place for their business
chadur	a woman’s outer dress common to Iran, covering the body from head to foot
cubit	a measure of approximately half a metre – see the note at the foot of References.
D
daa’ira	ring, as in ring road
dafnah	an alternative name of the New District of Doha, deriving from the colloquial name for dug or made ground, more classically relating to graves
dahl – pl. duhul	geological feature – a hole in the ground where underground water has eroded the limestone causing the surface to fall in
dahleez	corridor or entrance space in a traditional house
dahroi	a traditional game for boys
dakhil	inside
dalalah – dalalaat	women who sold clothes and the like from door to door to the women of the household
dallal	colloquial name for an estate agent – see samsaar
daluw	the bucket associated with a jaleeb – see also maqam
danjal	timber beams of mangrove – see shandal
daqiqa – pl. daqa’q	minute (of time)
dar	house or home – also the name of the room where pearl divers would gather onshore to share experiences and sing – also the extent of a tribal grazing area
darb – pl. daruwb	alleyway or street
daraj – pl. darajaat	staircase
daraj al haraara	degrees – literally, degrees of heat
darisha – daraaish	window openings, usually meant as shuttered windows
darwaazah	a pair of main doors
dastur	bowsprit of a traditional craft
dawla	state, as in Dawlat Qatar – State of Qatar
dawwah	a brass tray, raised from the ground, used with charcoal to prepare coffee both in the desert as well as the preparation area adjacent to or inside majaalis
debesh	animals
deek	cock
deira	encampment
della – pl. dellaal	coffee pot – usually the traditional pot
dhafaqat	internal wooden window shutters
dhahr al-khait	windward side of a dune – see sayal
dhaif	guest
dhanoun	Cistanche phelypaea – a parasitic desert plant
dhow	general name for traditional, timber Arab boats, see also khashab
dhubab	fog
dhuhr	afternoon
dhul	shade
dibis	date syrup, a staple culinary ingredient used as a drink and as a sweetner, produced by pressing dates
dihliz	narrow passage or entrance hallway to a house
dikka	a raised bench or seat, usually built along an external wall and forming a side or sides of a baraha – pr. ‘ditcher’ – see also mastaba
dirah	an area of land over which groups of people had grazing rights. cf. haram, coll. a person’s place of residence or country
dirwand	the beam or lintel over an opening usually in the form of a palm trunk or bound mangrove poles
diwan – pl. dawaaween	the office of a government institution or head of state, sometimes used as the entrance to a large house – see iwaan
diwania	an occasional reference to a small, important building, usually two-storied
diyin or dabeen	a string bag worn around the neck of divers, in which to place oyster shells
djin	devils or evil spirits
doha	marine bay
dowshek – pl. dowaashek	low mattress with relatively hard stuffing on which people site or recline
dthabit	officer
dtha’eef	weak
dtha’eeq	narrow
dthahab	gold
dthawdthaa’	noise
dthabab	mist or fog
dthayf	guest
dthuhr	prayer at noon
duff	a drum or tambourine created by stretching an animal skin over a circular wooden frame – see tara
dujarj	chicken
dukaan – pl. dukaakeen	shop
dukhan	smoke
duqal	mast of a traditional craft – see also saaria
durwa	decorative treatment of a parapet wall
du’un	timber window shutters
duwah	a low brazier on which charcoal is burned and kettles heated
duwnya	world
duwlaab	cupboard
duwwar	defensive wall
dwar	roundabout
E
ems	yesterday
’enf – pl. ’enuwf	nose, the prominent vertical feature of a batula or the vertical post on a double door
’eid	celebration, festival or holiday
’eid al-adha	the four-day holiday that follows the hajj
’eid al-fitr	the three-day holiday marking the end of the holy month of Ramadhan
’eid milaad sa’id	the exhortation wishing a happy birthday
’eid mubarak	the exhortation congratulating a Muslim on the ’eid holiday
’eid sa’id	an alternative exhortation congratulating a Muslim on the ’eid holiday
ezrak	blue
F
faas	axe
al-faatiha	the opening sura of the Holy Qur’an
fajr	prayer at sunrise
fakh – pl. afkhakh	a bird trap made from goat or sheep horns
falaa – pl. falawaat	wilderness
falaj – pl. aflaaj	water channel, usually open – see also saab and qanat
fan – pl. funuwn	art or science
fanas	Jack wood, or Artocarpus heterophyllus, the name given to this timber by Kuwaiti shipbuilders
fanous – pl. fuwaanis	lamp or lantern
fara	carpenter’s plane
farash	servant
fard salat	compulsory prayers, avoidance of which places the individual concerned outside Islam
farkhat al bab	the small door that is set into a larger door – usually a pair of doors – known as darwaazah
farman	the yard of a traditional wooden craft
faruwsh	dead coral which comes in striated slabs
fasht	marine reef
fasl – pl. fusuwl	season – of the year
fasl al rabi’a	spring
fasl al saif	summer
fasl al kharif	autumn
fasl al shitaa’	winter
fatail	fibrous twine used, when soaked in fish oil, to seal between the planks of wooden boats
fatam	the nose clip used by divers to prevent water entering their lungs, usually carved from horn
fat’ha – fathaat	opening or open
fat’ha al murakaba	defensive viewing holes in the walls of a building
fatimid	relating to a Shi’a dynasty founded in 909 by ’Abdullah al-Mahdi Billah who claimed legitimacy tracing his relationship with Muhammad through his daughter, Fatima al-Zahra and her husband, ’Ali ibn Abi-Taalib, the first Shi’a Imaam. The dynasty lasted until 1171 and was based in Cairo, Egypt. It was the fourth and last Islamic caliphate – see abbaasid and umayyad
fatwa – pl. fataawaa	edict or decision in Islamic law
feriq – pl. furuwq or furjaan	district of a town or city, usually associated with a particular family
feriya	opening in a common wall between two houses, usually of relatives, and generally not secured
fahamah or faham	charcoal
fidawi – pl. fidawiyya	armed retainers
fidha	silver
fijr	dawn or daybreak
fijiri	rhythmic songs sung by pearlers
filla – pl. fillat	villa – an obvious loan word
filli	strips of woven goat hair which, sewn together, form the covering of a black tent
finjaal – pl. finajeel	traditional Arabic coffee cup – badu pronunciation
finjaan – pl. finajeen	traditional Arabic coffee cup
finaa’	courtyard and the space immediately adjacent to the outside of a property wall
fiqh	Islamic jurisprudence which has a number of schools distinguished by geographical area: hanafi – the Indian sub-continent, West Africa and Egypt; maliki – north and west Africa; shafi – Malaysia and Indonesia; hanbali – the Arabian peninsula; and jaferi – Iran and Iraq.
firdaws	the highest level of paradise
fowk	above
fraym fat’ha al badgheer	a shutter which closes over a ventilation system to keep the rain from entering
fuluws	money or fish scales
funduq	hotel or guest house
fuq’a	truffles, of which there are two main types: khalasi, which are black with a light pink flesh and zubaidi, dark cream with a cream coloured flesh
fuqaha	Islamic jurists
furshat	paint brush
fustaan	a woman’s dress
G
garmoush	male saqr falcon
ghaduf	a fishing oar
ghaim	cloud
ghais or ghawwass	a pearl diver
ghalat	mistake
ghali	expensive
ghaltan	wrong
ghanem	sheep
ghaar	cave, as in the Grotto or Cave of Hiraa’ in the jabal al-nuwr where the Prophet received his first revelation
gharqad	probably the Parkinsonia aculeata, a tree named in a hadith as being the ‘tree of the Jews’
gharb	west
gharghuwr – pl. gharagheer	a woven fish trap, circular with conical entrance
gharsha	a clay pot used as a percussive musical instrument
ghaus	dive – ghaus al-kabir being the chief pearl diving season, followed by radda and preceded by ghaus al-barid
ghazaal	gazelle
ghaazi	a warrior
ghazw	a form of warfare associated with raiding for camels – cf. harb
ghubar	dust
ghurbaal	a collection of twenty-five pearl sieves, each known as a tasah
ghurfa	room or a suspended floor in a building
ghurfat al-jaluws	sitting room for the family
ghurfat al-nome – pl. ghurf nome	bedroom or room for sleeping in
ghurfat al-sufra	dining room or room for eating in
ghuri	fort
ghutrah	headscarf square, folded on the diagonal and worn on the head over a kufiyah and held down with a black iqal. The ghutrah is white in summer and usually check in winter – most commonly white and black, red or green. Although both white and coloured are commonly referred to as a ghutrah, the embroidered, heavy ghutrah is more properly known as a shumagh
ghuwry – pl. ghuwaary	teapot, usually imported enamelled metal
girih	[not a word used in the Gulf] tiles which consist of sets of five contiguous polygons – a decagon, pentagon, diamond, bowtie, and hexagon – each with a unique decorative line pattern which, when joined together produce complex geometrical patterns
guidu – pl. gdawa	the name given to an Iranian earthenware water-cooled nargila with a bamboo pipe common to the region. Also qulyan or ghalyun – see shisha
H
haashiya – pl. haashiyaat	frame or edge
habaan	the Arabian bagpipe, common to the southern Gulf, and related to the Bahreini qirba or jirba though there having two chanters and itself being similar to the nay anbaan used in southern Iran
hadaa	the rope to which a pearl driver is attached
hamour – pl. hawaamir	a type of grouper fish
haatif	telephone
habl – pl. hibaal	rope
hadam	demolition
hadhar, hadar or hazar	people who have settled in a particular area, as opposed to badu, who are transient
hadeed	iron, traditionally, wrought iron but now also used for steel
hadeed ash shubeck	iron window bars
hadiqa – pl. hadaa’aq	garden
hadith – pl. ahaadith	sayings or traditions – based on what he witnessed and approved – of the Prophet
hadith qudsi	hadiths in which the Prophet put in his own words what Allah said to him – not to be confused with the words of the Quran which are literal quotes of Allah
hafriyaat	excavation
haikal – pl. haiaakal	structure
hail	the spice cardamon, used in preparation of Arabic coffee
hajj	the pilgrimage made by muslims to Mecca
hajar – pl. hajaraat	stone
hakuwma	government
halaal	anything that is permitted, in English usually relating to diet, but in Islam also relating to dress, speech and behaviour
halib	milk
haluwsah	a children’s game played with stones and a double row of holes, usually scratched in the ground
halwa	beautiful, or a sweet
hamaam – pl. hamaamaat	washroom
hamaaya min al haraa’q	fire protection
hamaam	pigeon
hamam	an area in the vicinity of a town or settlement upon which such town or settlement has a claim of exclusive rights for the purpose of obtaining the necessities of its existence
hanafi	the school of fiqh within sunni Islam covering the Indian sub-continent, West Africa and Egypt and based on the teachings of Abu Hanifa al-Nu’man ibn Thabi.
hanbali	the school of fiqh within sunni Islam covering the Arabian peninsula and named after Ahmad bin Hanbal.
haqq – pl. huquwq	truth or right
haqqaah	the sure truth or inevitable reality
har	hot
haram	area in the vicinity of a settlement over which that settlement has exclusive rights to the necessities for its existence. cf. dirah
haraam	forbidden – the opposite of halaal
haraara	heat
haramlik	the private area of a house
harb	war waged for territory – cf. ghazw
harees	a popular meal combining crushed wheat and a meat, cooked with clarified butter, salt and water, and served with sugar and, sometimes a spice such as cinammon topping
harf	a letter of the alphabet
harm	pyramid
hariq	fire
hasa	stones from the desert, also the name of the stone weight used to propel a pearl diver to the sea bed
hasa bahri	literally, sea stones – see faruwsh
hassira	cane or rush matting
hashish	garden or grass
hashwat bab	carved decorative treatment to the face of a door – see also bab
hawaala	transfer or remit (of money)
hawa’	air or weather
hawlaani	a badu riding saddle
hawan wa yad al-hawan	pestle and mortar used for the crushing of coffee beans
hawar	a young camel
hawaya	the tall, vertical openings which form the entrances for the wind in a wind tower
hawdaj	a covered, tent-like camel saddle, generally used by women
hawdh	pool
hawi	local name for a courtyard – see also hawsh
hawiya	identity, as in hawiya watani – national identity – see watan
hawsh	local name for a courtyard – see also hawi
hawta	boundary
haykal	tale or story, or the hull of a traditional craft
hayt	wall
hazar	see hadhar
hazara	immigrant settlements
hazm	high ground separating two depressions
henna or hiyna	a plant used to decorate the skin
hijaab	woven or fabric wall used to separate the women’s area from the men’s area of a tent – see also snaah
hijab	a Muslim woman’s common head covering
hijrah	the name given to the exile, flight or move the Prophet made from Mecca to Medina in 622 AD, the result of his increasing disaffection with polytheism and the resultant merchants’ anger with his opposition and its effect on the pilgrims
hilaal	a crescent or new moon
hima	pre-Islamic protected reserve of land – and management system based on rotation to permit regeneration
himaar – pl. hameer	donkey, and a mild term of abuse
himaar bahr	sailor’s donkey, an above-deck cross beam used to strength the structure of traditional craft
hisaan	horse
hibl – pl. hibaal	rope
hibb	large earthenware water vessel
hibr	ink
hiyala	a majlis, or sitting area, outside the house and its compound
hizam as suwr / burj	the strengthened construction of the foot or corner of a building / tower
housh	the garden, yard or area around the house
hubara	the hubara or bustard is a relatively slow bird, commonly the quarry of hawks
hujra	a room or the lowest floor of a house
huli – pl. hawwalah	Sunni Arab and Persian populations from southern Iran who link themselves genealogically to one of the tribes of Arabia from where they came in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, also a pejorative Gulf Arab term – see also baharnah
hurr	female saqr falcon
huwah	or juwayzah, traditional Arabic tribute levied by toll of money, animals, agricultural product, military conscription or other, reflecting the dominion of one party over another – originally a benign tradition which developed into a protection model
huwsh	the courtyard of a traditional house or building
huwtah – pl. huwaat	a walled and secured empty plot of land set aside for personal or communal use and future development
I
idhat	the waiting period of four months and ten days during which a woman may remain in her house to effect a reconciliation
ibriq	kettle
ifsah	yield! – traffic sign
ifreez	carved timber or plaster frieze
iftah	open!
iftaar	the evening meal that breaks the day’s fast during the holy month of Ramadhan
ihsaan	perfection or excellence, related to the carrying out of prayer and, by extension, to all activities
ijaaza	permit or licence
i’jaam	dots which are a distinguishing and integral part of some consonants
ijar	leasing
ijma’	an aspect of Islamic law based on consensus
ijtihad	reasoning aimed at comprehending an issue of shari’a
ijtima’a	meeting
ilm	knowledge
imaam – pl. a’immah	a religious leader or teacher, and one who leads the salah
imkabbis	a singer employed on long distance trading vessels
iqal – pl. uqul	a thick, doubled, black cord which sits on top of the ghutrah, holding it onto the head, and comes with or without a tail hanging down the back of the wearer
irq	small, narrow dune – see sahib below
isha	the prayer at night
ishaaraat	signals
islam	the religion of Muslims, literally – submission to God – from the root meaning ‘to surrender’
istanzal	person affected by dancing at a zaar event – derived from the verb nazala
istihsan	a method of exercising personal opinion in order to avoid unfairness that might result from a literal application of law
salat al-istiqsaa’	prayers for rain
istislah	a method of resolving complex problems whose answer can not be found in religious texts
iswarah	a bracelet, usually gold and worn on the wrist
itaar	architrave
ithil	timber beams of tamarisk – see shandal
streak	lamp or lantern
iwaan – pl. iwaanaat or awaawin	a portico, often vaulted, open on one side to a hall or, more often, an open forecourt
izmeel	chisel
J
jaama’a	university
jabal – pl. jibaal	hill or mountain
jadeed	new
jaferi	the school of fiqh covering Iran and Iraq
jafir	basket for carrying building materials
jaleeb	or bi’r, a circular well
jaliboot – pl. jalaabeet or jawaalbeet	boat with vertical stem and transom stern
jals – pl. juluws	a long country craft, designed for racing, powered by oars. Also known as jals lal-sibaaq, literally a boat for racing
jama’a al-jaza’ir	the mosque of Algiers
jamal	camel
jameel	beautiful
jannah – pl. jannaat	paradise – an abbreviation of jannaat ’adn – the Garden of Eden – the English word, paradise, from the Persian, pairi-daeza, meaning an enclosed space. The highest level of jannah is firdaws
janoob	south
jaraadah	locust
jareed	palm leaves used for roofing
jat	animal feed, a kind of vetch
jayb	pocket
jayyid	excellent or very good
jareeda	magazine or newspaper
jawaaz	permit
jawaaz as-safr	passport
jaww	a flat, wide open area, or weather
jazeera – pl. juzur	island
jazwa	pearl divers
jet	a green feed given to animals, perhaps alfalfa – to be checked
jibin – pl. ajbaan	cheese
jibs	lime, plaster, gypsum – usually used about modern internal plaster
jihad	struggle
jilaabah – pl. jilbaab	a woman’s loose fitting coat covering from the neck to the ground, usually closed with buttons or a zip
jinsiyyah	nationality
jiri – pl. jiryan	low lying depressions around which there is little planting but in which water collects during rainy seasons
jisr	a beam in trabeated construction, or a bridge
jraq	the water-cooled smoking pipe – nargila or argila – with a glass bowl and long leather or plastic hose, common to Saudi Arabia – see guidu
juma’a	Friday, or a mosque particularly used for the weekly, Friday prayers
jundi	soldier – see also askari
jurn	horn-shaped hill
juss	lime mortar – usually referring to the traditional use of plaster, or stucco
juwdi	assistant for a naakhuda, receiving the share of three divers
juwti	shoes or sandals, the name being Punjabi
K
ka’ba	a rectangular stone structure within the masjid al Haram in Mecca. It is the holiest place in Islam.
kaanah	tiller of a boat – from the Persian
kaatib	scribe or clerk
kabeer	large
kafaala	sponsorship, or the requirement to have a National take responsibility for an expatriate worker, or for the protection of orphans under adoption
kafeel	an individual acting as a sponsor to a foreign worker
kaff	wrist decoration comprising a bracelet joined to finger rings – in Qatari dialect, pronounced chaff
kufiyah or qaffiyah	small cotton skull cap which sits directly on the head, ensuring the ghutrah won’t slip
kahf	cave
kahraba’	electricty
kais	a pearl diver receiving three shares
kalb	dog
kalba	a small cross beam at the prow of a boat used to hang an anchor out of the water
kanaar	the edible fruit of the ziziphus mauritiana tree
kandiri	merchants and water sellers who came with a donkey and water tank on a small cart – also kerosene sellers who sold the same way.
kandura	or kanduwrah, the name given to the thub in the United Arab Emirates
kapuji-bashi	honorary Turkish title meaning ‘Head of the Palace Doorkeepers’
kariya	villages
kashara	rubbish
kashtil is-sidr	forecastle of a boat
katar or katter	a small traditional boat used to move men and materials between ship and shore
katheef	thick or dense
katheer	much or many
kaza	Ottoman district in eastern Arabia which included Qatar, Qatif, Hasa and Najd
khaan – pl. khaanaat	a resting place, inn or hotel, similar to a Persian ‘caravansarai’
khaarij	outside
khaas	private or special
khabt	a protective piece of leather covering the fingers of pearl divers
khail	horse
khaima – pl. khayaam	tent
khalas	enough, sufficient or stop
khalij	gulf, as in khalij al arabi – Arabian Gulf
khalil	little
khalyat nahl	bee hive
khamas	a pearling system under shared ownership
khanjar	curved knife, worn in the belt in front of the stomach
khareef	autumn
kharita – pl. kharaayat	drawing
kharuwj	exit
khashab	wood or timber, also a colloquial name for traditional, wooden craft, or dhow
ala khasham	affirming honesty, literally meaning ‘on the nose’
khatt	calligraphy, handwriting or a drawn line
khat	handwriting or a drawn line
khateeb	the speaker at a mosque who delivers the khutbah on the Friday dhuhr prayers which may also be given by the imaam
khatr	danger
khatuwt al fawltya al ’aalya	high voltage lines
khazaan	reservoir
khazaan al moi	water tank
khazaana or khazaa’n	cupboard or lockers
khazuwq	a pile, or can be used in impolite remarks
khazzan	public water storage facility
khilaal	the steel or wooden pins used to fix ruaq to the covering material of a black tent
khilafah	stewardship of the world
khimaar	a woman’s cape covering from the top of the head to the waist, fastened under the chin
khir	the stone used by pearl divers to take them to the sea bed
khor – pl. khiran	a sea inlet
khubz	bread
khudar	vegetables
khuff	a leather sock
khurj – pl. akhraaj	woven woollen saddlebag
khul’a	divorce initiated by a woman
khundrus	a tree resin used in the sealing of the hulls of traditional boats
khurays	a wide depression covered by a thin layer of water
khuraytiyaat	an area characterised by depressions
khursa’ah	the first stage of a dahl characterised by a hole with the roof still standing
khutbah	sermon delivered at the Friday dhuhr prayers
khuwkhah	wicket door, usually in the right hand door of a pair of doors – see also farkhat al bab
khuws	traditional flat woven mats
khyaat	tailor
kilim	flat woven rugs, mostly used from Persia or Iran, but also woven in many other areas
kitab – pl. kuwtub	book
kohl	from kuh’ala – a black material used to line and beautify the eyes
kitr – pl. kitrat?	a small, usually double-ended boat, mainly used to travel between dhows and the shore
kull	every, or all
kull a’am wa antum bikhair	literally, every year and you are well, but meaning that I wish you (plural) well every year on this occasion
kunatb	a traditional game for girls
kufic	said to be the earliest form of Islamic calligraphic script
kuka	wicket door
kumbar	hemp rope used to wrap and strengthen beams
kuwa	opening between structural columns, piers or buttresses, used for ventilation
kuwra	sphere or ball – also football
kursee	chair
kuwttab	school, attached to a masjid, providing an elementary Quranic education
L
laban	yoghurt made from sheep or goat milk by agitating the milk in a sameel
laqfah	a traditional game for girls
lajna	committee
lahm	meat, usually mutton
lakh	general term for guy ropes on a black tent
lakhoya	a local Gulf term for companions, helpers or bodyguards, now used for a special branch of the police force
lughat	language
layl	night
laysh	why?
layt	light
lanj	launch (boat)
libbin	straw used as an admixture to mud bricks
lilbiy’a	for sale
liwan	covered terrace, hall or open-fronted room – see taarma
lowh	board – as in a board on a wall
lown	colour
lubbaan	frankincense
lu’lu’	colour
M
maa	not – see mush and mab below
maajil	private water system
ma’	with
maa’ shaa allah	what Allah has willed. It is used to express a feeling of awe or beauty regarding an event or person that was just mentioned.
ma’aaljat al miyah	water treatment
ma’aaridth	exhibition
maail	diagonal
mab	not, as in ‘mab zain’ – not good – coll.
mabkhar, mabakhir or madkhaan	incense burner – but midkhan more usual
mabna – pl. mabaani	building
machboos	a form of cooking whereby meat, anything from chicken to young camels, and including fish, is cooked with vegetables and spices in large pots
mi’dhana – pl. almaadhan	minaret. See also See also manara
madda – pl. maddaat	plastic or cloth placed on the ground to receive food for a meal
madina – pl. mudun	city
madkhul	entrance or entrance hall
madrassa – madaaris	school, traditionally associated with a mosque
madyan	pearling system allowing merchants and naakhuda to charge interest
mafaasid	social evils – see masaalih
maflaj	the knife used for opening oysters
maghrab	prayer at sunset
maghsila	laundry or washing area
maghzal	frame on which to weave material used as snaah or similar
maha	common name for the Arabian oryx
mahal	place or location, also a collection of tents or an encampment
mahram – pl. mahaarim	those members of the family whom a man or woman is not permitted to marry – for a man these are his mother, daughters, sisters, his father’s sisters, mother’s sisters, brother’s daughters, sister’s daughters, his foster mother who gave him suck, his foster milk suckling sisters, his wives’ mothers, his step-daughters under his guardianship, and two sisters in wedlock at the same time
maidaan	open place, market place, square
maajari	drains
mahr	the marriage dowry given to a woman by her husband
majaani	free
majdah – pl. majadih	bow drill
majdthaaf – pl. majaadthif	oar
majlis – pl. majaalis	in relation to a house, a sitting room, either internal or external, generally understood to be the room in which men of a household entertain their male friends – also the informal institution where issues are aired and decisions made at a variety of scales within the society ranging from individual families through that of the qabila, to that of the Ruler. It also describes the general system by which information is passed and decisions made and in this sense has a more formal meaning as a council – see majlis al shura below
majlis al-aoud	a neighbourhood majlis, usually associated with a masjid
majlis al shura	literally, a consultative majlis or council
majmuw’a	group, collection, sum or total
majtim’a al-mahali	community
makaan – pl. ’amaakin	a place
makhraj	the exit point from the throat or essential articulation of a letter
makhzan	shop or store
maksuwr	broken
maktab or maktaba	office, library, study or desk
malah – pl. mlaal	bowl
malfa’	cloth used to cover the hair
maliki	the doctrine of fiqh in sunni Islam covering north and west Africa, named after Malik bin Anas
malqaaf	wind scoop or ventilator
ma’maari	architecture
mamr – mamraat	path or passage
mamnoo’a	forbidden
mamnoo’a dakhuwl	entrance forbidden
mamnoo’a al tadkheen	smoking forbidden
manaakh	climate
manara – pl. manaaraat	the tower of a mosque from which the word ‘minaret’ is thought to be derived. See also mi’dhana
manaz	a baby’s or child’s cradle
mandthuwr	perspective
manjuwr	percussion instrument used in tambouras, consisting of a skirt-like material to which is attached dried goats feet, and activated by shaking the hips rhythmically – also the name used for reed matting
manqa’	land within an area of jiri in which water settles
manqala	a board game consisting of two parallel rows of holes along which markers are moved – from the verb naqala – he moved.
manqalah	the wrist cuff used by falconers to protect their arm
manqruf	mangrove slat timber
manqrur	woven palm matting used in the construction of suspended floors
mantaqa – manaataq	district
manzil	house, or a place to stay
maq’ad	projecting balcony, generally used as a women’s sitting area
maqam	the wooden structure associated with a jaleeb – see also daluw
maqahwi	the person who serves coffee, usually in a majlis
maqataab	the ridge pole or beam used in some types of black tent
maqbadth – pl. maqaabadth	handle
maqbara – pl. maqaabir	graveyard
maqta	section
ma’quwl	believable
maraafaq al ghaseel	washing facilities
marash	container from which rose water is sprinkled
maridh	ill or sick
markab – pl. maraakib	generic term for a ship or boat
markaz	a headquarters, centre or place devoted to a specific activity
markaz ashurta	police station
marqad	gravestone
marub’a	square
maruwr	traffic
masaa’	evening
masaalih	social good – see mafaasid
masaleeb	a wooden dowel used to hold two flat paddles together creating the base for holding a camel saddle – see thuluwf
ma’shaa	earthenware pot used to cook harees, wide at the base to optimise heating and narrow at the opening to retain moisture
mashghuwl	busy or occupied
mashru’a	project
masjid – pl. masaajid	mosque – masjid al Qubaa’, the house the Prophet built in Medina in 622AD; masjid al Haram, Mecca, the holiest mosque in Islam; masjid al Nabawi, Medina, the second most holy mosque in Islam; masjid al Aqsa, Jerusalem, the third most holy mosque in Islam
maslaha	considerations which produce benefit or interest, or prevent harm
mastaba	table or bench – see also dikka; also a sloped or stepped construction, typically found in Egyptian tom
masuwl	person in charge
mastalki	the upwards facing side of a calligraphic stroke
mat’am	restaurant
mataar	airport
matar	rain
matbakh – pl. mataabach	kitchen
matbakh al ra’yyis	main kitchen
mat’haf – pl. mataahaf	museum
mawaasafaat	specification
mawaad kham	raw materials
mawjood	present, in the sense of it existing
mawqif – pl. mawaqif sayaraat	car park
mawthafeen	staff
mazarah	permit holder for permanent house associated with animal stock – see mazra’a and azba
mazdm	the rear tent pole of a black tent
mazlaaj – pl. mazaalij	a traditional wooden bolt used in securing wooden doors from the outside also, now, of metal
mazra’a – pl. mazaar’a	farm
mecca	or Makkah, the holiest city in Islam, containing the ka’ba towards which all Muslims turn in prayer
meen	who?
midfa’ – pl. madafi’	hard pillow for propping up on the elbow – see misnad
midkhan – pl. midakhn	incense burner
mifattah	a circular mat made from palm fibres – see sufra
miftah – pl. mafaatiyh	key
mighzal	drop spindle used for working goat and other hair into yarn
mihma	a long-handled spoon on which coffee is roasted in the preparation of traditional Arabic coffee
mihrab – pl. mahaarib	feature in the wall or qibla of a mosque – usually a niche , arch or, in earlier times, a marker – indicating the direction of Mecca for prayer
mijwiz	a musical reed instrument of the clarinet family, comprising two pipes with a number of tuned holes, bound together and played with a continuous blowing technique
mikhir	the front tent pole of a black tent
miknasa	sweeping brush
milaabis	clothing
milaqat	spoon or trowel
milh	salt
min	from
min seen	from a long way away – literally, from China
min’a – pl. mawaani	jetty, port or harbour
minb’a sharb – pl. sanaabir myaa’ al-sharb	drinking fountain
minbar	pulpit in a mosque
minfaakh – manafeekh	bellows used to blow air on a fire
mirzam – pl. maraazim	a projecting roof water spout, usually made from timber, or the central point of the ghutrah above the eyes
mirzam a’amoudi	exposed vertical rainwater channel constructed in the body of the wall to lead water down a wall
misbah	prayer beads
mishaash	temporary rock pool
mishat – mshoot	comb
mishlah	loose robe worn by men, usually black or brown with gold trimming, heavier in winter. More usually known as a bisht
mishtakhata – pl. mishtakhtaat	chest
mismaar – pl. misaamir	nail or a tent peg
mismaar hadeed	iron or steel nail
misnad – pl. masaanid	hard cushions used on the ground or upon a raised dikka for people to lean against
misnad al majdthaaf	rowlock – arranged in pairs they act as fulcrums for oars to power a rowed craft
mistah	an area of hard pan ground surrounding manqa’, covered with broken rock
miswaak	a piece of fibrous wood from the root of the arak tree – Salvadora persica L. – used to clean teeth and which is associated with prayer
mithaal – pl. amthila	pattern or model, similitude or allegory
mithkab	drill
mitr	measure or tape measure
mitraqa	hammer
mizan	level or plane
mizmar	a double reeded, conical woodwind musical instrument – see zurna
mntharah�– pl. manathr	mirror
mnya	well, all right
moi	water
miyaah al jawfiyah	ground water
moi warid	rose water – literally flower water
mu’allim	teacher
mu’adhin – pl. mu’adhneen	person who calls Muslims to pray at a masjid, traditionally from a mi’dhana
mub	coll. not, as in mub zain – not good, i.e. bad. See also: mush
mubarrad	a shallow, wooden box into which roasted coffee beans are placed for them to cool down prior to their being crushed and added to water in the process of making coffee
mudaaris	teacher
mudabab	pointed arch
mudabissa	a specialised room in some houses set aside for the storage of dates and production of date syrup, dibis. It is characterised by the channels for liquids to drain away to a collection pot
mudhaarabah	a profit-sharing venture where two parties share profit, but one bears any loss
mudhakarat	memorandum
mudir	director of a government department or a private organisation
mufak baraghi	screwdriver
mufasl – pl. mufsalaat	hinge
mugharib	generally understood to be the Mediterranean littoral Arabic states of Libya, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco
muhandess	general name for an engineer
muhandess ma’mari	architect
muhandess takhtiyt	planner
muharrik	fire engine
muhim	important
mujtamah	society
mujannah	the practice of winning pearls by wading in the shallows
mukhada	diver’s earnings
mukhbaz	bakery
mukhtalif	different or mixed
mukab	the downwards facing side of a calligraphic stroke
mukaiyem	temporary animal herding camps
mukayif	air-conditioner
mukhat	a bag, usually made from canvas and carrying raw meat to feed to returning hawks as their reward
mulk – pl. amlaak	ownership
munshar	saw
muntaqah – pl. manaataq	area, zone or neighbourhood
muntaqah mazruwa’	cultivated area
muqarnas – pl. muqarnasaat	decorative or structural element, generally in a stalactite or honeycomb form, usually in the area between the foot of a dome and its supporting walls, or around the head of a column
muqawwal	contractor
murabahah	the sale of goods including a pre-agreed profit
muraaqaba	surveillance or supervision
murfaah	storage box hung from a kitchen ceiling
marmar – coll. murmar	marble
musalla – pl. musallaat	prayer hall, open prayer area or place to pray
musalla saidaat	Ladies prayer area
musaqqam	financier of a pearling fleet
mush	coll. not, as in mush jayyid – not good, i.e. bad. See also mubwhich is the more Qatari of the two words
mushaarakah	a profit-sharing venture where two parties share profit and loss
mushrafaat	decorative top to wall or building
mushkil	difficult
mushrabiya – pl. mushrabiyaat	lattice screen, usually of turned or carved wood – also a house type in some parts of the Arab world having mushrabiya to the street and open windows on the other side giving light and ventilation to the house
muslim – pl. muslimeen	a follower of Islam
must’ajil	urgent
mustaqbil	the future
mustashar	an expert or advisor
mustashfa	hospital
mutasarrif	person appointed to govern a mutasarrifiyya
mutasarrifiyya	an Ottoman administrative district
mutawain	religious police of Saudi Arabia with broad powers for policing the shari’a
muthaad	a bangle, usually of gold and worn on the wrist
muwadhin	the official or chosen person who makes the call to prayers
N
na’al	traditional open sandal
naady	club
naakhuda – pl. nawaakhada	ship’s captain
naakhuda al-birr	land captain, or merchant who finances a sea or ship’s naakhuda
naaqa	female camel
naar	fire
na’ashat	a dance performed by badu women where they sway their head from side to side, sweeping their hair in arcs in time with the music
nabati	Qatari dialect based on classical Arabic with a local influence
nabq	the edible fruit of the zizphus spina-christi tree
nadhif	clean
nafaaiyaat al-khatara	hazardous waste
nafl salat	voluntary prayers which may be offered in addition to fard, but not at sunrise, true noon or sunset
nahaar	daytime
nahaas	brass
nahham	a pearl ship lead singer
nahlah – nahal	bee
nahr	river
na’ib	deputy
na’im	low lying grassed area suited to grazing
na’in	a particular kind of Persian carpet, predominantly beige and blue, and of high quality
najaz	adze, or edge cutting tool
najd	area of Saudi Arabia and general name for a sand dune
najjar	carpenter
najm – pl. najuwm	star
najwat	steep shoal, coral reef or pearl bank around eight metres deep
nakhl – nakheel	cultivated area
nakhuda – pl. nawakhidah	captain of a pearling boat
nakhsh	a prominent spur
namawzaj	model, shape, form or design
naqoush mefat’ha	carved plaster panels or plasterwork allowing air to circulate
naqaa	barkan sand dunes
naqoush suwr al bab	carved plaster panels or plasterwork around a door
naql	transportation
naqsh	carved plaster panels or plasterwork
naquwsh	inscribed decorative features
nat a habl	a traditional rope game for girls
nazala	to descend or climb down down
natuwr	watchman or gatekeeper
neel	the material used to give the distinctive finish to a batula
neem	a construction forming the roof of the poop deck on a country craft
ni’al	sandals
niqaab	a double- or triple-layered black veil worn by some women to mask their faces
niswan	women
nuhaas	copper
nusf	half – fraction
nuqta	point or place
nuwr	light or lamp
nuwra	lime wash
O
’oud	a plucked string instrument from which the lute is derived. It has no frets and eleven strings arranged as five pairs and a single
Q
qa’a	a house type in some parts of the Arab world having a qa’a, or small covered central courtyard, and surrounding rooms
qabila – pl. qabaa’il	tribe or family group characterised by a common family name
qadeem	old
qadm – pl. aqdaam	foot – measurement
qaffiyah or kufiyah	small cotton skull cap which sits directly on the head, ensuring the ghutrah won’t slip
qahwa	coffee, traditionally made with coffee beans and cardamon, and served in small cups, poured from a della
qaim maqam	a Turkish title given to the person who administers a kaza, or district
qalaaf – pl. qalaleef	caulker, one who prepares and inserts caulking between the planks of boats – also a name given to a joiner
qalam	pen
qalami	the mizzen mast of a traditional wooden craft
qal’at – pl. qalaa’a	fort
qal’at al askar	military fort
qalb	heart or centre
qalm	pen
qamah	wheat
qamees	shirt
qamr	moon, arch or crescent-shaped
qamriyah	decorative feature in the shape of a crescent
qanas	falconry
qanat	underground channel for water with periodic vertical ventilation shafts, more commonly used in Iran
qanuwn – pl. qawaaneen	laws
qanuwn al binaa’	building regulations
qareeb	near
qaraar – pl. qaraaraat	decision
laqum al qaraar	television programme – The Decision is Yours
qasbah	fortified quarters or citadel of rulers – mostly in reference to Mugharib buildings
qasr	castle, fort or fortified structure
qata	an internal tent dividing wall constructed from woven strips sewn together
qataf	Limonium axillare – a desert plant
qatan	diver’s share of the total profits after everything due from him has been deducted
qatiya	low, head-height dividing wall that usually gave privacy to a toilet
qatuba	a reinforcing strip that links the filli of tent roofs and protects the material from tension stresses
qaws – aaqwaas	moon or arch
qawi	strong
qayis	good
qibla	the direction of Mecca, usually understood to be the wall of a mosque on that side facing Mecca
qif	stop! or stand! – traffic sign
qifl – aqfaal	door lock
qism	section
qiyaam	the act of standing in prayer
qiyas	an aspect of Islamic law which is reasoned by analogy
qiyaas	measurement
qleena wa al-maatuwa’	tipstick, a traditional Qatari game played with a stick and a bat or paddle to strike it with
qubba – pl. qubab or qubaab	dome or cupola
qubqub	crab
quffal	end of the main diving season
quran	the sacred text of Islam, understood by Muslims to comprise the revelations of God to Muhammad through the angel, Gabriel. Its text is valid for religious purposes only in its original Arabic. Translations are interpretations only
qutb	pivot, pole or axis
qiyraat	a unit of weight derived from the Greek word for a carob seed
R
ra’ad	thunder
raas	head of a body or a geographical cape
rabaaba	the single stringed violin used by Badu
rabadth	suburb in the immediate vicinity of the older, central part of a medina
rabi’a	spring (season)
radha	a processional dance, performed by women, associated with weddings
radif	a boy sa’ib, usually an apprentice who receives half the share of a sa’ib, i.e. one share
ra’ees	head of a group or chief of a tribe
raff – pl. rafuwf	shelf
rafiq	companion or friend
raha – pl. rahaat	a pintel hinge, most commonly found on doors, or a circular stone grain mill
rahma	compassion
rahnama	sailing directions
rajul – pl. rijaal	man
rakaab	pack camels – camels used for transporting
rakhis	cheap
ramadhan	the holy month – ninth in the Muslim calendar, the month in which the first verses of the Quran were revealed to the Prophet, and marked by fasting through the hours of daylight
ramaadi	grey or ash-like
raml – pl. ramaal	sand
ramla	a small sand deposit – see also bratha
raqaaba	monitoring
raqam – pl. aarqaam	number
rawdha – pl. riyadh	private garden or cultivatable land – also the colloquial name given to soil which can be used for planting
rashash	rifle
rawshina	the niche formed between structural columns, usually used for storage – see rushanih and kuwa
razeef – pl. razafaat	Badu sword dance accompanied by men standing in two facing lines, singing eight-bar verses at each other, backed by two kinds of drum, the tubal and the tara – see ardha
riba	usury
rify	rural
rijl	foot
risaala	letter or transmission
risha – pl. al-rish	a feather
ruaq	the walls of tent, fixed to the tent roof with wooden pins
ruba’a	a quarter – fraction
ruba’a al-khali	the Empty Quarter of Saudi Arabia
rukhaam	marble
rukhsa	a permit
rukn	corner
ruku’	the act of bowing in prayer
rumaana	a vertical timber bollard, fixed in conjunction with a horizontal kalba, just aft of the prow of a vessel, and used in securing the vessel with mooring lines
rushanih – pl. ruwshaanaat	the internal part of a wall between structural columns, or a niche, usually used for storage – see rawshina
ruttub	a half-ripe date which has contrasting tastes and textures
rutuba	humidity, damp or moisture
ruwaaq or riwaq	porch or arcade, originally of palm fronds before simple rooms
S
sa’a	clock, watch or hour
saab	water channel, usually open – see also falaj and qanat
s’af	date palm fronds
saajaat	cymbals
saala	sitting room for the family
saamry	the music associated with zaar events
saaria	mast of a traditional craft – see also duqal
sa’b	difficult
sabaah	morning
sabbah	a traditional game played by boys
sabil	a fountain used as a water source for washing in a wudhuw’
sabkha	an area of sea which has been covered by wind-driven sand to form land of varying solidity and safety to travellers
sabr	wait, as in ‘be patient’
sabr shway	wait a little
sadaqah al-fitr	a small gift, generally of food, given to the deserving in the week before the end of Ramadhan
sadu	a badu simple weaving loom, fixed to the ground or the material used for floor covering
saf – pl. sufuwf	the lines Muslims make at prayer
safaqa	timber window shutters
safarat	embassy
safir	ambassador
safina	ship
sagheer	small
saha	healthy
sahab	cloud
sahn – pl. suhoon	plate, or alternatively, a courtyard
saharaa’	desert
sahat	cul-de-sac
sahib	small, narrow dune – see irq above
sa’ib – pl. siyub	the partner of a pearl diver, responsible for pulling the diver to the surface, and who receives two shares compared with the diver’s three shares
sa’id	happy
saidaliya	pharmacy
saif	sword or a curved sand-dune
saif	summer
saif	land immediately adjacent to the sea that would be used for mending boats, selling fish and by children playing
salaam	peace
salaf	payment to a diver made in advance of earnings
salafi	a term referring to the first three Muslim generations which are held to be a model for the manner in which Islam should be practised
salah	ritual prayers
salama	safety
salat	prayer
salat al-fajr	early morning prayer
salat al-dthur	mid-day prayer
salat al-’asr	mid-afternoon prayer
salat al-maghrib	sunset prayer
salat al-isha	evening prayer
saj	teak timber
sajada – pl. sajjad	prayer mat
salaamlik	the public area of a house
sallam pl. salaalim	wooden ladder or stair
salsabil	water spout usually associated with a shadirwan or carved marble slab. The name comes from one of the wells, fountains or rivers in paradise from which the faithful may drink according to the Holy Quran
saluqi – pl. sulqan or salaq	a hunting dog
samak	fish
sameel	bag made from a sheep or goat skin, used to prepare laban
samsaar	estate agent – see dallal
sanbooq	a boat traditionally used for pearling, also seen written as ‘sambooq ’
samr	the plant, Acacia tortillis
sanduq – pl. sanaadiq	box
sanduq al-bareed	post office box
sanduq manajam	wooden chest decorated with ironwork
sanduq mubayat	wooden chest decorated with brasswork, also referred to as a Kuwaiti chest
sanna	year
saqf – pl. suquwf	roof or ceiling
saqr	the most popular hawk for hunting – hurr is the female, garmoush the male
saraaj – pl. saraajaat	bed
sareer – pl. saraaeer	bed
satur	stem post or prow of a traditional boat
sat’ha – pl. astuwhu	roof
sawm	the practice of fasting
sawma’a – pl. sawaami’	an early ventilation tower
sawr	to make a picture or take a photograph
sawt	sung poetry
sayaali	bitumen
sayaana	maintenance
sayal	the leeward, steep side of a sand dune – see dhahr al-khait
sayyara	motor car
sbuwq	the jesses used to tether a hawk’s feet
seeda	straight ahead – coll.
seekh	a steel or brass bolt used to secure a door, usually on the outside of the door. It is the replacement of the mazlaaj
sha’ab – pl. shabaab	a youth, or popular
shaar	hair
shaasha – pl. shuwsh	a raft or boat constructed from reeds or cane, common to the Oman
shadaad	camel saddle
shadakha – pl. shadakhat	bird trap
shadirwan	a carved marble slab onto which a salsabil pours water
shafi	the school of fiqh within sunni Islam covering Indonesia and Malaysia based on the teachings of al-Shafi’i of the Quraysh tribe.
shahada	the expression of faith, and one of the five basic practical tenets of Islam
shaheen	hawk
shahuf	a small double-ended fishing boat, common to the Emirates and north Omani coast
shaikh – pl. shyuwkh	leader of a tribe or qabila, or a term of respect
shaitaan	Satan or the Devil
shajjar	trees
shakush	hammer
shamaal	north, or the local name for the strong north north-west wind, often sand-laden. Also the colloquial name for ‘left’ or ‘left hand’ – see shimaal
shams	sun
shanad	a type of mackerel fish
shandal	timber roof joists, usually of round sectioned mangrove poles – see danjal, or tamarisk – see ithil
shaqiqa	sister state or body, a familiar reference to states or groups with which there are close ties of one sort or another, particularly religious
sha’r	hair
shahr – pl. shahuwr	month
shara’	road
sharika	(commercial) company
shari’a	Islamic legal tradition based on regulations, traditions and principles
sharq	east
shawkat	fork
shawna	a mixture of animal fat, usually goat, and lime used to rub onto the underwater planks of boats in order to make them more durable
sharq alawsat	Middle East
shayba or shaybi	an old man
shayla	a loosely worn headscarf for women
sherbala	the carved wooden architraves around a door
shi’a	a branch of Islam representing between 10-15% of Muslims, representing followers of Muhammad’s son-in-law and cousin, Ali.
shi’b	water course or stream with little vegetation
shibreet – shibareet	match
shidaad	camel riding saddle
shi’ite	derived from shi’at Ali – the followers of Ali, the son-in-law of Muhammad who, his followers believe, was designated by Muhammad to succeed him
shimaal	the left hand
shisha	the water-cooled smoking pipe – nargila or argila – common to the region – see guidu and jraq
shitaa’	winter
shnaan	Arthrocnemum glaucum – a desert plant
shubak – pl. shubabik	window
shumagh	a heavy headscarf square, folded on the diagonal and worn on the head over a kufiyah and held down with a black iqal. Usually worn in winter it commonly has a white and black, red or green check pattern. It is often referred to as a ghutrah
shuw’i – pl. shwa’i	typical, small fishing boat with raked stem and transom stern, also used for general cargo movement
shuf	look!
shura	consultation
shurfa	a verandah or balcony, or a merlon or crenellation – the articulated top of a wall
shurta	police
shuwar	oatmeal feed for camels, presented mixed with water
shurti – pl. shurta	policeman
shway-shway	gently or quietly
shy	tea
shy ahmar	tea, literally red tea, served with sugar but without milk
shy na’na	mint tea
sidr or sidra	the plant, Zizyphus nummularia, a scrub tree found in the peninsula
sifaat	the attributes and characteristics of the letters of the Arabic alphabet
sifr	nought, zero or nothing
sijaad	carpet
sijn	prison
sikka – pl. sikkak	narrow urban alleyway
sikkan	rudder
sikkin	knife
silaf	financial advance made to a diver at the beginning of the diving season for his necessities and his family’s provisions
sim	poison
simawar	kettle or container for boiling water
sinn – pl. alasnaan	tooth
siqaataat	machicolation
sintiwaan – pl. sintiwaanaat	the non-structural decorative element between column and beam on traditional buildings
sirdal al-ghaus	admiral of the pearling fleet
sirwal	loose trousers worn by both men and women below their outer garment
sirwal qamees	woman’s clothing comprising loose trousers and a long shirt
sitara	raised parapet walls at roof level for privacy
snaah	woven or fabric wall used to separate the women’s area from the men’s area of a tent – see also hijaab
subagh	paint
suban	shell sand
subh	morning
suff	a pearling oar
sufra	woven mat, usually circular, from which meals are eaten
sufun	generic term for a ship or boat
sujuwd	the act of kneeling in prayer
sukkan	a steering device, hung from the right hand stern of some traditional craft
sull	fish oil
suna’	land within an area of jiri where there is no vegetation
sunnah	source of law second only to the Quran, essentially deeds and recorded sayings of the Prophet
sunnah salat	optional prayers which may be offered on a regular basis and are of two forms: one which, if abandoned would be a sin, and one which, if abandoned, would not
sunna	a branch of Islam founded on acceptance of the legitimacy of the first four caliphs – Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali – who succeeded Muhammad, and representing 85-90% of Muslims
sunni	a follower of the sunna traditions of Islam, and the majority religion of Qataris
suq – pl. aswaaq	market or bazaar
sura – pl. suwar	any of the 114 chapters of the Holy Quran. surat al-baqara – the chapter of the cow surat al-alaq – the clot
surbuwt	coffee pestle
surf al sahiyah	sanitation
suwf	wool
suwr	wall
suwra – pl. suwar	a picture
T
taajir	merchant
taarma	covered terrace, hall or open-fronted room – see liwan
taalib	student
tabakh	gas oven or cook
tabeeb	doctor
tabeeb asnaan	dentist
tabiq	a storey of a building
tabl	a double-ended drum which is carried at waist level, suspended by a rope around the neck of the drummer
tadiem	the strengthened corner of a rectangular building
tafaaya al hareeq	fire extinguisher
tafteesh	inspection
taht	under or below
tahuwiyah	ventilation
tajweed	recitation of the Quran, the root word meaning doing something well
takhzeen	storage
takhtiyt	planning
tal	hill
talaq	divorce initiated by a man
tamam	good
tambura	pre-Islamic dance performed by women and associated with the pre-Islamic god, zaar, and a drum used in that dance?
tambara	a tall, stringed, lyre-like instrument used in Tamburas?
tamr	date
tanuwr	clay bread oven
tanween	the addition of ‘un’, ‘an’ or ‘in’ to the end of indefinite nouns to create, respectively, their nominative, accusative and genitive case forms
taq taq taqiyyah	a traditional game for boys
taqadam	progress
taqiyyah	the practice of dissimulation, permitted under certain conditions
taqlidyah	traditional
taqs	weather
taqwa	the attitude of care, and reverence for all things
tara	a single-sided drum used at a razeef or ardha – see duff
taraaz – pl. taraazaat	pattern
tarfa	name given to the wooden construction of a camel saddle, the name deriving from the tamarisk tree from which the y-shaped structure is usually taken
tarifa	representative
tariq	street
tarmeem	repair of buildings
tasah	a pearl sieve – see ghurbaal
tasmeem	design
taswiq	marketing or shopping – see dukaan
taswir	a picture
tatwir	development
tawash – pl. tawasheesh	pearl trader
tawasha	collective term for boats engaged in the pearling operations
taweel	tall
tawel umrak	m. term of respect – literally long your life
tawela	table
tawheed	the belief of faith in God
tawjeed	the art and science of recitation
tawwash	a middleman in the business of trading in pearls
tayammum	ritual washing for wudhuw’ with dry material
tayyara	aeroplane
tayyib	good or strong
teen – soft ‘t’	figs
teen – hard ‘t’	mud used for building
thab	desert lizard
thalaja	refrigerator
thalith	third – ordinal
thalj	snow or ice or hail
thaqaafa	culture or education
thaqeel	heavy
thub or thawb – pl. thiyaab	ankle-length traditional Arabic male dress, white and light in summer, darker and heavier in winter
thulth	third – fraction
thuluwf	a pair of flat hard wood paddles forming a part of a traditional camel saddle – see masaleeb
tilwah	a cord with a lure at its end used by a falconer to swing round the head in order to attract and encourage a falcon’s return
tirsha	individual pearling trip
tistaahleen	congratulations
tiwaar	a flat-topped mesa or low rounded hill
tubal	drum used in razeefs
tufah	apple
turaath	heritage
turaab	earth used for building
U
ubuw	father
’ud	the main mast of a traditional wooden craft
ufuqi	horizontal
ulema	Muslim scholars who are responsible for interpreting the shari’a
umayyad	relating to the dynasty founded by Umayya ibn ’abd Shams, the great grandfather of the first Umayyad caliph. Based in Damascus, it moved to al-Andalus. It was the second of the Islamic caliphates – see abbaasid and fatimid
’umdah	a community social leader
umm	mother
umm salal	a hard, rocky area
ummah	community or nation. In the context of Islam it refers to the whole of the Islamic world
’uqla	a well in the southern desert
’urf – pl. a’raf	local or tribal rules and customary practice
usbuwa’	week
ustad	master builder
W
wa’ab	geological depression likely to collect water
waasut	the central pole of a black tent
wadi – pl. widyan	dry river bed or valley
wadi’a	safe-keeping of funds with a reward payable on a voluntary basis
wadhihi	the Arabian oryx, one of the antelope family
wahhabi	a movement, influenced by Hanabali jurisprudence, originating with Muhammad ibn ’abd al-Wahab (c.1703–1791) in Saudi Arabia, holding among other things, that the veneration of saints, ostentation in worship and luxurious living are evils
waha	oasis
wakaalah – pl. wakaalaat	an agent-principal financial arrangement
waalid	father
wajib salat	compulsory prayers, avoidance of which make the individual a sinner
waajiha	elevation
wakaala – pl. wakaalaat	open area serving a number of private houses
wahhabi	a movement, influenced by Hanabali jurisprudence, originating with Muhammad ibn ’abd al-Wahab (c.1703–1791) in Saudi Arabia, holding among other things, that the veneration of saints, ostentation in worship and luxurious living are evils
wakr	the mushroom-shaped seat on which a hawk sits, with a spiked base for fixing in the sand
walad	boy
walayah	guardianship
wali – pl. ’awliyaa	custodian, helper or protector
waqf or awqaf – pl. awqaaf.	a charitable endowment usually established for the advantage of a religious, educational or hospital establishment – in Qatar under the auspices of the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs
waqaaya min al haraa’q	fire protection
waqt	time
waraqa	piece of paper or the leaf of a tree
warid	flower
warra	behind
waarish	high wall constructed for privacy
wasit	middle
wasta	influence
wasakh	dirt or dirty – coll.
wasm	tribal property symbol branded onto animals and carved near wells to express ownership
watad – pl. awtad	turned and painted wooden peg, let into the wall of a majlis or other room, and from which cloaks are hung, or a tent peg
watan	homeland
wayn	where?
wazarat	ministry
wazir	minister
wudhuw’	ablution, or the Muslim act of washing parts of the body before prayer, or the ablution area
Y
yameen	right – as opposed to left
yasaar	left – as opposed to right
yad	hand
yawm	day
Z
zaar	dance with a pre-Islamic African origin
zabeen	the rope to which a stone is attached for assisting divers to reach the sea bed
zahir	the external expression of self or a thing
zain	good
zait	oil
zakaat	a tax and the name given to one of the five pillars of Islam – the giving of alms to the poor
zanbil	bucket, pail or woven basket made from palm leaves
zanjabil	ginger, particularly tea served in winter with ginger and condensed milk
zariba – pl. zaribaat	open area for animals
za’tar	a herb of the thyme family, commonly a tea made with thyme which is considered to have beneficial medicinal properties. Also an element of a mixture of spices eaten on bread
zawiya	corner
zibda	traditional butter
zift	black tar or an impolite expression
ziyada	outer enclosure or extension of a mosque common to congregational mosques in the early Islamic period
ziyr	large water jug or container
zubar	medium sized sand dune
zujaj	glass
zuli	partially enclosed toilet fixed to the side of a boat
zulia – pl. zuwali	carpet or rug – coll.
zulij	mosaics or glazed tiles
zurna	conical musical woodwind instrument operated through a double reed mouthpiece – see mizmar